Stereotype (2)

Martina Novotná, Masaryk University, Czechia
mnovotna@fss.muni.cz

Lippmann states stereotypes are a cognitive process through which individuals are ascribed specific characteristics based on their perceived membership in a particular social group, such as an ethnic, national, religious, or gender group. These fixed habits of cognition are not set in stone and can be reshaped by new experiences that challenge preconceived notions. It is a mental shortcut used to make sense of the world, which does not necessarily falsify reality, even though it is often the case. Stereotypes are typically adopted during the process of socialisation via cultural norms and unwritten expectations. Stereotypes can also affect perceptions, attitudes, and actions towards others, leading to negative consequences, such as prejudice and discrimination. Krook and Restrepo Sanín provide an example of a stereotype as the perception that women are less effective political leaders due to being seen as more emotional and less rational. These stereotypical assumptions, tied to traditional expectations of women as caring and family-oriented, could potentially lead to harsher judgement, for instance, in media coverage, where women are frequently questioned about balancing personal and professional life, scrutiny that their male counterparts typically do not face. Consequently, this may lead to discouragement from political participation or discriminatory bahavior that excludes women from decision-making. Adopting the perspective of individuals targeted by stereotypes can help reduce their spread. Skorinko and Sinclair emphasise that if those individuals display traits consistent with the stereotype, perspective-taking may actually reinforce the stereotype. Blair counters that personal characteristics or a motivation to foster positive relationships with others can play a crucial role in reducing the automatic activation of stereotypes. Nevertheless, stereotypical frameworks can profoundly affect society’s deliberative functioning by reinforcing biased attitudes and fostering intolerant behaviours.

Keywords: stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination

Related Entries: Hate Speech, Judgement (1), Judgement (2), Stereotype (1), Prejudice

References:
Blair, I. V. (2002). The malleability of automatic stereotypes and prejudice. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 6, 242–261.
Krook, M. L., & Restrepo Sanín, J. (2020). The cost of doing politics? Analyzing violence and harassment against female politicians. Perspectives on Politics, 18(3), 740–755. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1537592719001397
Lippmann, W. (1922). Public Opinion. Macmillan.
Skorinko, J., & Sinclair, S. (2013). Perspective taking can increase stereotyping: The role of apparent stereotype confirmation. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 49(1), 10–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2012.07.009